'This guy is very strange.'
This was something that Ling had realised about Fang Ran out of the blue.
At first, Ling had simply thought that Fang Ran was just a nitwit, a grumbling and boasting machine-cum-stupid idiot. However, after recovering from the huge blow that she had suffered from falling into her own trap (which was yesterday), she returned back to her former 'Night Roaming Angel' self as she silently observed Fang Ran the entire morning.
Associating it with how Fang Ran's behaviour these past few days, needless to say, she noticed a lot of things.
'This guy is undoubtedly an ordinary person, the most common kind of person that you will see in a sea of people.'
'No special strength and nothing special about him. Ordinary family, ordinary appearance, and ordinary interpersonal relationships.'
'The entire morning, Fang Ran was just like everybody else, falling asleep in class and crowding in the canteen together. There is nothing unusual.'
Ling thought to herself. However, this ordinary person, who would be drowned in the crowd the moment you turned away, was selected to be in the Night Battle.
Through the Darknet, Ling had seen the background information of countless participants. Each and every one of them had something special about them.
An excellent brain, extraordinary physical abilities, excellent physical strength, great wisdom, formidable mental strength, outstanding interpersonal skills…
Even the worst and most ordinary of participants would have one of the bright spots above the masses, and would usually take the core position in each of their social circles.
But this guy…
Over the entire morning, Ling had learned that Fang Ran was the kind of guy who was so ordinary that they were ordinary even in their own social circles. Though it was not to the pitiful point of being dispensable, he was definitely not the center of attention.
But (still that same 'but' as before), it was a person like that who had been chosen to be a participant in the Night Battle.
Furthermore, this guy did not have the nitwit vibes when with other people. He was talking and laughing normally with his classmates. However, the 'deep impression' that Fang Ran had given Ling these past few days still made Ling feel very doubtful.
'Isn't this guy supposed to be silly?'
It was not that Ling was overthinking. It was just that Fang Ran's image this morning was vastly different from the silly image that he had shown her over the past few days. It made Ling feel like it was an idiot turning into a normal person overnight.
Then, Ling suddenly remembered the night that she dragged Fang Ran out. At that time, she had not completely calmed down and accepted the shock of being trapped. Hence, she did not think much of it back then. However, looking back at it now and especially comparing it with the Fang Ran from this morning, it was so suspicious!
Ling had no doubts and firmly believed that if someone pointed a gun at Fang Ran's head right now, this guy would cower and kneel down immediately.
'But it was this same cowardly guy who had faced the gun that night and ricocheted the other party's bullet while protecting the girl who was a complete stranger. Uh… Even though the person he beat up was her second uncle'.
'Furthermore, it was this guy, who somehow summoned the courage to let go of me and jump down from a four or five-storey height?!'
'This guy, who you could tell was mentally weak at a glance, was really able to accept his powers over a random night?'
These were everything Ling had thought about after reaching an agreement with Fang Ran the day before. Ling found it very strange that Fang Ran had suddenly told her all those Lings yesterday. 'Did he notice something?'
'Impossible! Impossible for this nitwit who likes to grumble.'
'But this nitwit seems rather normal when he's with the others today?'
Ling realized that she could not quite get a read on Fang Ran.
In the data space, Ling floated in the air with her legs crossed. She looked down, and you could tell what she was thinking. All of a sudden, she seemed to have realized something, and the corners of her mouth curled up in a smirk.
'Come to think of it, that cowardly guy seemed to have turned his head back to take another glance?'
…
…
"By the way, there are no classes in the afternoon. Fang Ran, let's go! Let's play video games!"
A guy from their dormitory patted Fang Ran's shoulder vigorously. Fang Ran rolled his eyes and sighed.
"Forget it, you guys go ahead. I won't be joining."
"You better not tell me that it's because you need to study?"
One of Fang Ran's friends raised his eyebrows and questioned him with a look of disdain.
Fang Ran threw up his hands and said resignedly,
"It's because of poverty."
Everyone was speechless.
"Alright then. Since you are going to the Societies building to woo a girl, we shan't stop you!"
This was still from the same friend who had patted Fang Ran's shoulder vigorously as he completely ignored Fang Ran's dead eyes and his speechless accusation of, 'wooing what f*cking girl'.
Then, Fang Ran fixed his hood, feeling like his summoned beast seemed to have moved a while ago. 'Sigh, is it that this elderly power bank finds it uncomfortable to stay in one position for a long time…'
"Alright then, bye~"
The few of them waved goodbye, and Fang Ran also waved goodbye to all of them.
"Hah! I'm exhausted. There are no classes in the afternoon, time to go home to sleep,"
Fang Ran ignored the gazes of the people that passed him by on campus. Stretching lazily, he yawned while saying dispiritedly.
Ling cussed in her heart, 'You degenerate die-hard otaku!'
"Fang Ran, what's that building over there for?"
Ling asked out of the blue. Fang Ran was a little surprised as he replied, "Oh, that? That's the school's Societies building, where the different societies are based."
"Let's go take a look," Ling said firmly.
"Ehhh?!" Fang Ran had 'I'm not willing. I want to go home, I want to sleep after I'm full from eating' written all over his face.
"Are you a pig?! Sleeping after you're full!"
Seeing Fang Ran's reluctant expression, Ling suddenly roared,
"I'm telling you now! If you don't go, even if you go home, I will use my telepathy to play rock and roll music in your brain!"
'Damn it! Do you need to be so ruthless?!'
Fang Ran immediately succumbed and obediently brought this power bank ancestor towards the Societies building.
The Societies building was not far from the teaching block. It did not take much time for Fang Ran to walk there slowly. The people on the way there were all walking together in groups of twos and threes. The closer they got to the Societies building, the more groups with a man and a woman could be seen.
Fang Ran felt that his burning heart was almost going out of control.
The human and the power bank reached the entrance of the Societies building. The next moment, the human and power bank were drowned out by the crowd!
"To chase after the goddess, come to our club. You, who are multi-talented, are that brightest star!"
A huge slogan ran straight across the front of the Societies building. Fang Ran instantly froze.
'What the f*ck, are these slogans that the societies are using to recruit members all so wild these days?'
'And even saying 'that brightest star'…'
'Come to think of it, now is the time when societies are recruiting newcomers.'
Fang Ran stood at the entrance of the small square in front of the building with a dazed expression, feeling like a fish out of water in this place packed with people and tents where all kinds of societies were recruiting newcomers.
"Yo, it's quite lively." Ling looked around at the various clubs and societies, such as football, basketball, table tennis, English, Japanese, journalism, et cetera. From inside the hood, she threw this sarcastic comment at Fang Ran, saying it in an ambiguous tone.
"I know you are suggesting that a die-hard otaku like me is not suited for this kind of occasion." Fang Ran rolled his eyes as he immediately caught onto Ling's undertone.
'Hmph, you're quite sharp in this area.' Ling sniggered.
Suddenly, there was a commotion in the crowd. A large number of freshmen in military uniforms suddenly rushed towards a particular direction of the square, all of them whispering something in excitement.
"What's going on over there?" Ling asked.
Fang Ran tiptoed to take a look. Then…
He did not see anything…
"Uh, perhaps a 50% discount for potato chips…?"
Ling was speechless.
'Do you believe that I will smack your face?'
Under Ling's silent threat, Fang Ran had no choice but to take another look and walked over there. Then, he suddenly remembered which society was in this direction and could roughly guess what was going on.
Just then, the human and the power bank managed to jostle their way through the crowd and ended up near the tent.
Latin Dance Society.
Quietly staring at these few words, Ling suddenly understood why so many people were squeezing towards here.
'Latin dance, haha. Do you think that all these people, especially so many boys amongst them, have come for Latin dance?'
Ha ha.
Simpletons.
"Interested students are welcome to join our Latin Dance Society. Interested students are welcome to go in to take a look," a girl standing in front of the crowd smiled as she said to everyone.
'This is the real reason why these brats are crowding here.' Ling looked at the boys near them in disdain.
With an expression that was the same as those around him, Fang Ran surreptitiously tugged on the shirt hem of the schoolmate next to him and asked, "F*ck! Man, is that a beauty from another school?"
The guy next to him cast him a scornful look and said, "No way. Dudel, you must have transferred from another school. That's the campus beauty of our school, Xia Yao! The head of the Latin Dance Society, how can you not even know that."
Fang Ran burst into tears instantly. 'Sorry, I feel like my freshman year was attended in vain.'